From:
williamsdvm@comcast.net
Date: 2002-12-24 03:04:17 UTC
Subject: RE: sick ferret's bloodwork
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <31660069.1040699057363.JavaMail.root@scandium>
Author wrote:
> I got a 5yr MF female. Her only symtoms is she tires easy, very itching and lost 0.2 pounds (2.2 - 2.0). She is eating and drinking well and bowel movements are fine (fecal-negitive). Bloodwork was done and x-rays were taken. The Vet said the only thing on the x-rays was that liver looked rounded. Here are her blood values (I hope one of the Vets on here will look at this and comment);
> glucose 226 mg/dl
> urea nitrogen 37 mg/dl
> creatine 0.7 mg/dl
> ALT(SGPT) 919 U/L
> total protein 7.1 g/dl
> albumin 3.8 g/dl
> globulin 3.3 g/dl
> a/g ratio 1.2 ratio
> calcium 9.7 mg/dl
> phosphorus 6.0 mg/dl
> bilirudin 0.2 mg/dl
> hemoglobin 16.4 g/dl
> hemotocrit 45.6 %
> WBC 5.0 10-3/ul
> RBC 10.10 10-6/ul
> MCV 45
> MCH 16.2
> MCHC 36.0
> platelet count 641 10-3/ul
> neutrophils 3400 68%
> bands 0
> lymphocytes 1050 21%
> monocytes 550 11%
> eosinophils 0
> basophils 0
> The vet said the glucose(fasting 6hrs) was high and ALT was very high. She attributed the glucose to stress of coming to a busy office(alot of dogs). The ALT was indicating liver disease and the most common cause of this is cancer.
Dear KC:
There are two assumptions here that are not necessarily correct. Ferrets don't spike glucose like cats in times of stress - that level suggest the possibility of incipient diabetes here. The ALT is indeed high, but I look at bilirubin as the true indicator of liver disease, as many other conditions that result in fat mobilization can do this. Liver cancer is not a common cause of this finding and is actually relatively uncommon in ferrets. Let's not jump to that conclusion just yet.
My suggestion is to repeat the bloodwork in a week and let's see where those values are at this point.
Very itchy? Is there any other sign of adrenal disease?
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM